Elastic textile and manufacturing method thereof

ABSTRACT

An elastic textile has an elastic webbing and at least one conductive wire, wherein the elastic webbing has at least one layer. The at least one conductive wire is disposed within the elastic webbing and extending in the first direction in a wavy manner. When the at least one conductive wire is signaling yarn, it has a support material which has a strength of 26 through 40 strands.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 107104148 filed in Taiwan, R.O.C. on Feb. 6, 2018, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to elastic textiles, and more particularly, to an elastic textile equipped with a conductive wire and a manufacturing method of the elastic textile.

RELATED ART

In recent years, wearable technological products, such as sports watches and smart textiles, and other related industries are well developed, and one of the most important reasons for users to choose wearable technology products is wearing comfort.

Among the related art of smart textiles, how to combine conductive wires with general textiles and maintain better comfort when the smart textile with conductive wires is worn by users is an important concern to related researchers.

However, when trying to implement the smart textile by an elastic textile, the related researchers find it difficult to combine conductive wires and elastic textile for increasing comfort of wearable technology products because of scalability feature of the elastic textile. For example, conductive wires must be capable of being stretched accompanying with elastic textile. Therefore, how to stretch conductive wires accompanying with elastic textile and how to enhance the strength of conductive wires are important issues.

SUMMARY

In order to solve the aforementioned issues, the present disclosure provides an elastic textile and a manufacturing method of the elastic textile, wherein a conductive wire of the elastic textile can be stretched or shorten accompanying with the elastic textile and have better strength of stretching resistance.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the present disclosure provides an elastic textile comprising an elastic webbing and at least one signaling yarn, wherein the elastic webbing has at least one layer. The at least one signaling yarn comprises a support material having a strength between 26 and 40 strands, and the at least one signaling yarn is disposed within the elastic webbing and extending in a first direction in a wavy manner.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the present disclosure provides a manufacturing method of an elastic textile comprising: providing an elastic webbing having at least one layer; and disposing at least one signaling yarn within the elastic webbing in a wavy manner, wherein the at least one signaling yarn is extending in a first direction, and a strength of a support material of the at least one signaling yarn is between 26 and 40 strands.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one signaling yarn comprises a staple fiber and a sheet conductor. The staple fiber functions as a support material of the signaling yarn. The sheet conductor is enlacing a surrounding surface of the staple fiber in a spiral extending manner, wherein an aspect ratio of a cross section of the sheet conduction corresponding to the spiral extending manner is about between 10 and 30 approximately.

For better understanding of the features and technical contents of the present disclosure, please refer to the detailed descriptions and drawings of the present disclosure, but such descriptions and drawings are merely illustrative of the present disclosure and not intended to limit the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an elastic textile according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram showing the elastic textile is not stretched according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram showing the elastic textile is stretched according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the elastic textile according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a conductive wire according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the conductive wire according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a sectional schematic diagram of the conductive wire according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an implementation of the sheet conductor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 8 is a flow chart of a manufacturing method of the elastic textile of an embodiment according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

To make it easier for the examiner to understand the objects, characteristics and effects of this present disclosure, embodiments together with the attached drawings for the detailed description of the present disclosure are provided.

Please refer to FIG. 1, and FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an elastic textile 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The elastic textile 100 comprises an elastic webbing 110 and at least one conductive wire 120, wherein the elastic webbing 110 has at least one layer. In an embodiment, the elastic webbing 110 is implemented by spandex fiber, but is not intending to limit the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the elastic webbing 110 is not limited to have one layer. For example, the elastic webbing 110 can have double or multiple layers.

The at least one conductive wire 120 is deposed and fixed within the elastic webbing 110 in a wavy manner (for example, a sinusoidal curve manner). The at least one conductive wire 120 is capable of extending in a first direction X for providing a stretching space of the at least one conductive wire 120. Because of the stretching space, the at least one conductive wire 120 of the present disclosure will be hard to be broken when the elastic webbing 110 is stretched by external forces.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one conductive wire 120 is selected from signaling yarn and enameled wire, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

In the embodiment of the present disclosure, enameled wire comprises insulating paint. A material of the insulating paint is selected from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, i.e. Teflon®), ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE) and other polymer insulation materials, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

Referring to FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B, FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram showing the elastic textile is not stretched according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram showing the elastic textile is stretched according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Please refer to FIG. 2A first, before the elastic textile 100 is stretched, the at least one conductive wire 120 is presented on the elastic webbing 110 in the wavy manner. Referring to FIG. 2B, when the elastic textile 100 is stretched by external forces, the at least one conductive wire 120 is stretched in first direction X as the elastic webbing 110 is stretched by the external forces. Distances between multiple peaks formed by the at least one conductive wire 120 disposed on the elastic webbing 110 in the wavy manner will increase due to the external forces. Thus, the at least one conductive wire 120 can be stretched accompanying with the elastic webbing 110 and will not be broken by the pulling of the external forces.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the elastic textile 100 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In the embodiment, the elastic textile 100 comprises two conductive wires 120 (120 a and 120 b) disposed on elastic webbing 110, wherein the conductive wires 120 a can be implemented by enameled wire, and the conductive wires 120 b can be implemented by signaling yarn. In other words, the elastic textile 100 can comprises different numbers and/or types of conductive wires 120 disposed on same elastic webbing 110 according to different requirement, and the numbers and types of conductive wires 120 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B or FIG. 3 are not intending to limit the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the conductive wire 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the conductive wire 120 is implemented by signaling yarn. The conductive wire 120 comprises a staple fiber 121 and a sheet conductor 122. The staple fiber 121 functions as a support material for supporting the sheet conductor 122 enlacing to the staple fiber 121. The sheet conductor 122 is enlacing a surrounding surface of the staple fiber 121 in a spiral extending manner to increase a strength resistance of the conductive wire 120.

Optionally, the strength resistance of the conductive wire 120 can be increase by choosing the strength of the staple fiber 121 and/or an aspect ratio of a cross section of the sheet conductor 122 corresponding to the spiral extending manner. In the embodiment, the strength of the staple fiber 121 is 30 strands and the aspect ratio of the cross section of the sheet conductor 122 corresponding to the spiral extending manner is about 20, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the strength of the staple fiber 121 is 26, 28 or 40 strands, or the aspect ratio of the cross section of the sheet conductor 122 corresponding to the spiral extending manner is about between 10 and 30 approximately.

In the embodiment, a material of the staple fiber 121 is selected from polyester, polyarnide, polyacrylonitrile, polyethylene, polypropylene, cellulose, protein, elastic fiber, poly perfluoroethylene, polyparaphenylene benzoxazole, polyether ketone, carbon and glass fiber, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The material of the staple fiber 121 can be selected according to requirements.

In the embodiment, a material of the sheet conductor 122 is alloy, such as copper-nickel alloy, copper-tin alloy, copper-nickel-silicon alloy, copper-nickel-zinc alloy, copper-nickel-tin alloy, copper-chromium alloy, copper-silver alloy, nickel-brass alloy, phosphor bronze alloy, beryllium copper alloy, nickel-chromium alloy, copper-tungsten alloy, stainless steel and other commercially conductive alloys, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In different applications, the material of the alloy can be different. For example, the conductive wire 120 can be touch sensor element of touch control textile, one end of the conductive wire 120 is used to receive a scan signal and the other one end of the conductive wire 120 is used to transmit a touch sensing signal. Therefore, the alloy with a smaller resistance value can be selected as the material of the sheet conductor 122.

Please refer to FIG. 5, and FIG. 5 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the conductive wire 120 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Compared with the embodiment of FIG. 4, the conductive wire 120′ of the embodiment of FIG. 5 further comprises an insulating layer 123, wherein the insulating layer 123 is surrounding the surrounding surface of the staple fiber 121 to cover the sheet conductor 122 and the staple fiber 121. The sheet conductor 122 and the staple fiber 121 of the conductive wire 120′ are the same as those described for the sheet conductor 122 and the staple fiber 121 of the conductive wire 120 of FIG. 4, and therefore the redundant descriptions thereof are omitted.

In the embodiment, a material of the insulating layer 123 is selected from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, i.e. Teflon®), ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE) and other polymer insulation materials, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The material of the sheet conductor 122 and the insulating layer 123 can be selected according to the actual demand. For example, the conductive wire 120′ can be used as a heating element for heating textile, so the sheet conductor 122 can be made of an alloy with a large resistance value, and the insulating layer 123 can be made of an insulating material with high heat resistance (for example, polytetrafluoroethylene).

Please refer to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, and FIG. 6 is a sectional schematic diagram of the conductive wire 120′ according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In the section schematic diagram of the conductive wire 120′, as mentioned above, the staple fiber functions as a support material, the other two layers except the staple fiber 121 are sequentially the sheet conductor 122 and insulating layer 123. Though the conductive wire 120′ of the embodiment has only one sheet conductor 122 and one insulating layer 123, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, there may be more layers of sheet conductors and insulating layers, for example, six layers or eight layers, and the number of layers may vary depending on the actual demands.

Please refer to FIG. 7, and FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of an implementation of the sheet conductor 122 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the embodiment, a length and a width of the cross section of the sheet conductor 122 are approximately 4P and P/5 respectively, wherein P is a diameter of the circular cross-section of the conductive wire 122′. The conductive wire 122′ is rolled by a rolling mill to form the sheet conductor 122. However, the formation of the sheet conductor 122 is not intending to be a limitation of the present disclosure. In other words, there are different implementations of the sheet conductor 122 of the embodiment of the present disclosure.

Please refer to FIG. 8, and FIG. 8 is a flow chart of a manufacturing method of the elastic textile of an embodiment according to the present disclosure. Fist, in step S201, an elastic webbing 110 is provided. In step S202, a conductive wire 120 is disposed within the elastic webbing 110, wherein the conductive wire 120 is extending in first direction X in a wavy manner. After the step S202 completed, the elastic textile 100 of the present disclosure is implemented. In another embodiment, the elastic textile 100 can comprise a plurality of conductive wires 120. Therefore, in the step S202, the plurality of conductive wires 120 are disposed within the elastic webbing 110, wherein the plurality of conductive wires 120 are arranged in second direction Y and extending in first direction X in the wavy manner.

In summary, because the conductive wire 120 of the present disclosure is disposed with the elastic textile 100 in the wavy manner, the conductive wire 120 can be stretched accompanying with elastic webbing 110 when the elastic webbing 110 is stretched, and thus the conductive wire 120 will not be broken by external forces. In addition, in the embodiment that the signaling yarn is provided as the conductive wire 120 of the present disclosure, the staple fiber 121 having strength between 26 and 40 strands functions as the support material, and the sheet conductor 122 is enlacing the surrounding surface of the staple fiber to increase the strength resistance of conductive wire 120. Therefore, the conductive wire 120 of the present disclosure has a better stretch elasticity and strength resistance.

While the present disclosure has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure set forth in the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An elastic textile, comprising: an elastic webbing, having at least one layer; and at least one signaling yarn, comprising a support material having a strength between 26 and 40 strands, disposed within the elastic webbing and extending in a first direction in a wavy manner.
 2. The elastic textile according to claim 1, wherein the elastic textile comprises a plurality of signaling yarns, with the plurality of signaling yarns disposed within the elastic webbing and arranged in a second direction.
 3. The elastic textile according to claim 1, wherein the signaling yarn comprises: a staple fiber, functioning as a support material; and a sheet conductor, enlacing a surrounding surface of the staple fiber in a spiral extending manner, wherein an aspect ratio of a cross section of the sheet conductor corresponding to the spiral extending manner is between 10 and 30 approximately.
 4. The elastic textile according to claim 3, wherein a material of the staple fiber is selected from polyester, polyarnide, polyacrylic, polyethylene, polypropylene, cellulose, protein, elastomeric, polytetrafluoroethylene, poly-p-phenylenebenzobisthiazole (PBO), polyetherketone, carbon and glass fiber.
 5. The elastic textile according to claim 3, wherein a material of the sheet conductor is selected from copper-nickel alloy, copper-tin alloy, copper-nickel-silicon alloy, copper-nickel-zinc alloy, copper-nickel-tin alloy, copper-chromium alloy, copper-silver alloy, nickel-brass alloy, phosphor bronze alloy, beryllium copper alloy, nickel-chromium alloy, copper-tungsten alloy and stainless steel.
 6. The elastic textile according to claim 3, wherein the signaling yarn further comprises: an insulating layer, surrounding the surrounding surface of the staple fiber to cover the sheet conductor and the staple fiber.
 7. The elastic textile according to claim 6, wherein a material of the insulating layer is selected from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, i.e. Teflon®), ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene (PE).
 8. A manufacturing method of an elastic textile, comprising the steps of: providing an elastic webbing having at least one layer; and disposing at least one signaling yarn within the elastic webbing in a wavy manner, wherein the at least one signaling yarn is extending in a first direction and a strength of a support material of the at least one signaling yarn is between 26 and 40 strands.
 9. The manufacturing method of the elastic textile according to claim 8, further comprising the step of: disposing a plurality of signaling yarn within the elastic webbing, wherein the plurality of signaling yarns are extending in the first direction and arranged in a second direction.
 10. The manufacturing method of the elastic textile according to claim 8, wherein the signaling yarn comprises: a staple fiber, functioning as the support material; and a sheet conductor, enlacing a surrounding surface of the staple fiber in a spiral extending manner, wherein an aspect ratio of a cross section of the sheet conductor corresponding to the spiral extending manner is between 10 and 30 approximately.
 11. The manufacturing method of the elastic textile according to claim 10, wherein a material of the staple fiber is selected from polyester, polyarnide, polyacrylic, polyethylene, polypropylene, cellulose, protein, elastomeric, polytetrafluoroethylene, poly-p-phenylenebenzobisthiazole (PBO), polyetherketone, carbon and glass fiber.
 12. The manufacturing method of the elastic textile according to claim 10, wherein a material of the sheet conductor is selected from copper-nickel alloy, copper-tin alloy, copper-nickel-silicon alloy, copper-nickel-zinc alloy, copper-nickel-tin alloy, copper-chromium alloy, copper-silver alloy, nickel-brass alloy, phosphor bronze alloy, beryllium copper alloy, nickel-chromium alloy, copper-tungsten alloy and stainless steel.
 13. The manufacturing method of the elastic textile according to claim 10, wherein the signaling yarn further comprises: an insulating layer, surrounding the surrounding surface of the staple fiber to cover the sheet conductor and the staple fiber.
 14. The manufacturing method of the elastic textile according to claim 13, wherein a material of the insulating layer is selected from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, i.e. Teflon®), ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene (PE). 